Usually, when a home-team goes on a winning streak, or starts to have a good season after a particularly bad or slow one, people jump on the “fan bandwagon”.

All of a sudden, everyone is a fanatic, going to La Carreta with pots and pans in the middle of the night to celebrate a big win, if you live in Miami that is.

All different stages of people do it: those who have always followed the sport, the kids who cheer with their dads, the helpless housewives that sit through season after season of televised sports, and, of course, the genuinely interested women and or housewives, because those exist. [That’s not sarcasm, although I am known for it.]

So, what’s more annoying than people who jump on the fan bandwagon all of a sudden?

The Hater Bandwagon!

Note to Selves: For every person that genuinely wishes you well, there’s always a group of haters just waiting for you to fall flat on your face.

****

Today, I was doing some pre-birthday shopping with my husband at the
mall.

After spending a substantial amount buying myself gifts, even though my husband had already given me a pair of shoes and sneakers at home earlier that day, [for the record, I rarely splurge… on myself], I felt pretty guilty and wanted to make sure he got something, too.

So, Auntie Anne’s Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel in hand and mouth, [I’m 6 months pregnant and hungry, OKAY] we walked into a Champs and started looking around. After grabbing a couple of T-shirts, an employee walked us over to the register.

“Oh, you got all Lebron stuff,” he stated, riffling through the t-shirts.

“Yea.”

“So, you guys are Heat fans?”

“Yep,” we answered proudly.

“Oh man, why everybody gotta love the Heat. I HATE the Heat. I hope somebody just sweeps in and crushes them!”

Mind. Boggled.

“We’ve always liked the Heat. Why are people such haters?” I ask him, as politely as possible.

“I’m not a hater,” he continues, “but do you really think they deserved to win that series against OKC?”

“What are you talking about, they won 4-1?” My husband retorted, mouth agape.

“Yea, but …bla bla bla,” he went on briefly to say that we didn’t really win or deserve to win that series.

Which is pretty ridiculous because there is the possibility of playing seven games. You don’t accidentally win a series. Either you show up and win more games, or you lose and you’re out. Das it! ::Finger Snaps::

I was a little offended, to say the least with his assault at our choice of team.

I personally had always been a Heat fan.

Since the days of Alonzo Mourning, Dan Majerle’s three’s, Tim Hardaway, & P.J. Brown, I was even a fan of Mashburn, though he was darn ugly.

I fought with Patrick Ewing every time he was under the basket with Mourning! And who could resist Mr. Pat Riley and his slicked back hair. There’s no other coach with the class, flair, let alone the suits, that he brought court-side every game.

I watched the Heat play for years as they added and removed players from the lineup. It was amazing when Shaq joined Wade and helped us get a ring.

I’d also been a fan of Lebron since day one in Cleveland. He was/IS A – wait for it – MAZING. He brought new life to the game and to a team and city that was/IS otherwise dead. Have you been to Cleveland? They’ve got Nada! Zip! Zilch of interest.

Was Lebron really expected to stay there FOR E VER!!!!????

Now, imagine, two things you love, or like a lot, let’s not exaggerate, coming together! You’d better believe I was now an even bigger fan of the Heat and Lebron as they joined forces.

I really resented the way this kid was just gulping down the haterade, just like all the other sore losers whose home-teams couldn’t work a deal to get three great players together. That this kid would belittle my fandom [it’s a word, I checked] and dwindle my true Heat fan status to nothing more than being a mindless follower?

I admit, I’m no expert at sports or basketball, but I can shoot a free throw. In fact, I played basketball my sophomore year in high school. And that is exactly what I did… I made 1 free throw in the entire season. That’s it. 1 point. BUT I was the only one to make their free throw that game. ::Pats self on the back::

I’m not Flo from Progressive either. I mean how annoying and unrealistic is that commercial? Almost everybody should know the difference between a strike in baseball and bowling.

But regardless of my level of expertise, do you really have to know the entire history of a team or player in order to be a true fan? What is so bad about being a fan of a good player or team?

People just wanna be miserable. You live in Miami and don’t love or support your hometown? THAT is the real problem. You work at Champs, buddy, how about supporting Thee Champs!

GO HEAT!